From the Washington Post, a headline (Capitals removed)
Postal Service warns 42 states their voters could be disenfranchised by delayed mail in ballots
The resultant dialogue with D, the poster:
D: This alone should say at all.
Me: Yes, it says the Trump administration is working to sabotage the election in a move to destroy democracy in America.
D: Rreally? You're smarter than that
Me: Confiscated mail sorting machines, confiscated mailboxes, slashing the budget, forbidding overtime, for bidding extra deliveries, the post office run by a man who has over $100 million invested in companies which compete with the post office. Sounds perfectly normal to me.😏
D: the USPS just put out information about the "confiscated" machines that indicate why they were removed. Has absolutely nothing to do with this administration. Geesh
Me : For over 100 years mail in ballot and was completely successful and no one doubt it. Suddenly this year and this year alone it is happened. Reality is real.
D: we have mail in ballots here in Washington and there are still races that are not settled. Plus...we got two EXTRA ballots sent to us for this Primary. It's just a bit Lucy goosy for my taste
Me: It has worked since Lincoln was reelected during the Civil War. It is strange that it suddenly doesn’t work in the year when Donald Trump fears it might cost him reelection. Of course it could just be an amazing coincidence. But I doubt it
D: I shared with you my personal experience with mail in voting, and you are so blinded by hate that you're telling me my multiple ballots and waiting for results are Trumps fault? Or are you just calling me a liar?
Me: Why are you so bitterly angry? I’m not upset at all by our conversation. You think I’m calling you a liar? What?
What exactly is it that you think I hate?
Calm down. Just because we disagree is no reason to be rude or insulting.
D: I'm not angry at all. Just questioning your responses. You said you doubted that it was problematic...after I told you the problems. Simple
Bty, do you choose your retirement check be mailed to you or direct deposit? Kind of the same reasoning, yes?
Me: You as one single individual had problems and therefor you conclude that the entire system is totally failing? That’s like your car not working, therefore assuming the cars are not valuable and should be abandoned.
And suggesting I’m calling you a liar and telling me I’m blinded by hate do not sound like you’re just having a calm discussion.
Again, USPS has done an admirable job. If a check is mailed me I have it go to the bank. Of course I do direct deposit. It’s easier. But the USPS has been the most popular and most successful branch of government (It’s also a private business, since it’s hard to serve two masters, this messes things up) until Republicans begin interfering with its operations back in the Bush era by requiring them to fully fund their retirement system for 75 years ahead. Meaning they had to set aside funds for the retirement of postman who hadn’t even been born yet. The Trump administration has savagely attacked the post office service. Of course it’s not functioning right now. It’s like someone saying that your car isn’t working after I took a sledgehammer to the engine. That doesn’t mean the car is unreliable.
D: Or...as one single individual that has experienced problems, can you imagine it on a larger scale? Perception is everything, wouldn't you agree? Gotta take grandkids for haircuts
Me: be careful out there. The world isn’t a safe as it used to be.
